Always & Forever
by paulu95
Summary: Caroline is getting married and this time around everyone's invited. However, she's feeling a little different this time around. Will she go through with it? It's meant to be a Klaus and Caroline endgame. Rated T just for language. Complete for now.


Hi guys, I never thought I would write a story based on The Vampire Diaries, nonetheless a story about Caroline!

So in my story, Stefan was not on vervain and it was Damon that died. Enzo did not die either because quite honestly, I loved him and Bonnie.

The Boarding House has not yet been turned into a school.

When something is italicized its either one of Klaus's quotes, what the character is thinking, or just emphasizing the word "him" - meaning Klaus.

I don't own Vampire Diaries but I hope you enjoy!

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" _I'll take you wherever you want. Rome. Paris. Tokyo…."_

" _Take a chance on me Caroline... I want to talk about you. Your hopes. Your dreams, everything you want in life."_

" _Perhaps one day. In a year. Or even in a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."_

" _Caroline, I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world right now. Surrounded by food, music, art, culture and all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you."_

" _He is your first love, I intend to be your last. However long it takes."_

Her wedding was a couple days away and there was still so much left to do! She wasn't sure everything would get accomplished, but she held onto some hope that between her type-A personality and her wedding book that Bonnie saved from all those years ago, she could throw her dream wedding.

"Caroline, it will be perfect no matter what. As long as you don't start getting cold feet on me…," Stefan teased.

"This is not the time for jokes, Stefan!" she exclaims, and he just looks at her like she's lost it… "It's not just a wedding Stefan, it's supposed to be all I ever dreamed of…" she sighs.

"But we're already married…remember…the one that we had just for Katherine. The very real wedding where we both said, 'I do,' remember?" he said as he hugged her from behind in attempt to calm her; but she's a vampire so…

"Yes of course I remember but this the one that counts! I mean that one counted too but this is the real…," she sighed in frustration, "never mind," she said as she brushed him off and got back to work on making the perfect arrangements. Things had been strained between the two, but she blamed his grief for losing Damon. She blamed him because she didn't want to blame herself and her thoughts - _I intend to be your last. However long it takes_.

"…Or you could just compel someone to do them for you…" she heard an all familiar voice.

"Just because Stefan can't, doesn't mean you can't," the other voice said.

"Elena! Bonnie!" her smile grew and for once she felt she could make this work, "When did you guys arrive in Mystic Falls?"

After graduation, Elena got accepted into Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and she moved without looking back. It was rough, the first year without Damon, but she handled it much better this time around. Unlike Mystic Falls and Whitmore, there weren't witches, vampires and werewolves at her beck and call at Columbia – one of the reasons she did not apply to Harvard, with all the Salem witch trials centuries ago, she was bound to get herself in some sort of trouble.

Bonnie had been travelling all over the world with Enzo; her Instagram page was to die for, Caroline thought, if she wasn't already dead; _that could have been me, could have been me, but not with him, with someone darker_ – she hated herself for thinking that; she loved Stefan…really… - _I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world right now. Surrounded by food, music, art, culture and all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you._

"We road tripped our way down from New York! We just made it today to Mystic Falls," said Bonnie

"Decided to pay our old friend a visit, we thought she might need some help," said Elena as she held everyone in a group hug.

"Ah! I can't believe you guys made it! I thought you'd be too busy saving lives," she said looking at Elena, "and YOU, I thought you'd be in New Zealand or something like that!" she said looking at Bonnie.

"I'll leave you three, I can tell when I'm not needed," he joked, backing away, "It's good to see you both, glad you guys could make it!."

To be quite honest she had forgotten he was still in the room, but she didn't pay it much attention. She was too excited to have her friends back in Mystic Falls, that's why, she told herself, she forgot about him.

"So how excited are you? How are things? Anything we need to know?" asked Bonnie as she sat down at the table.

"Everything's great!" Caroline said in an overly enthusiastic voice…she cursed herself in her mind because her friends would have definitely notice something was off, "but tell me how are things with you guys? Any new lovers, Elena?"

"Not for me, just focusing on school but I love it!" Elena sighed, "Just the thought of being able to save someone, I mean I know you can fix everyone with your blood, so it must not be the same for you, but I also feel a connection to my dad…," Elena stated. _Her voice sounded higher pitched than usual…like she's hiding something, or maybe she's just excited for the wedding…_

"Enzo and I are great…thanks for asking," Bonnie teased.

"Ooh I do hope he'll be joining us!" Caroline explained as she worked on her centerpieces.

"Of course! His plane arrives tomorrow, just in time for your wedding the following day," Bonnie explained.

Bonnie and Elena both noticed Caroline's smile drop… something was up, but neither could bring themselves to say anything.

"Anyway, you're right I should compel someone to do this for me! Be right back!"

"We'll see you tomorrow! Maybe you can find some time to come dress shopping with me and Elena!" Bonnie offered as she hugged her friend.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to be underdressed or wear the 'wrong' dress to your perfect wedding!" Elena joked as she took her turn hugging her friend.

"Goodbye, Stefan!" Bonnie and Elena yelled out at the top of their lungs – he wasn't a vampire anymore and the Boarding House was huge.

"Bye, guys; see you both at the wedding! Thanks for stopping by!" he said as he came running down the step towards the door as he put his arm around his wife.

"Did you see that!" Elena asked as they drove through Mystic Falls.

"You mean when she said, 'everything is great!' in a peppier than usual voice?"

"Or when her smile faded when we brought up the wedding in two days!" Elena pointed out… "She loves him…"

"Are you trying to convince me?" Bonnie chuckled.

"Maybe something happened… I mean Stefan is human now. Its not like they have a literal eternity together anymore. But you can't just marry someone, promise them 'forever' and then a year later take that away. What if Stefan were a vampire? He could…"

"Have turned off his humanity? Turned into the Ripper? Well he's not a vampire, we don't have to worry about that anymore. But what happened?" Bonnie questioned.

"Maybe something like what happened to me when I turned. Maybe Stefan changed. Maybe its not the same," Elena thought.

"Maybe, or maybe its just cold feet! She loves him…" Bonnie said as she pulled into their Airbnb.

"Are you trying to convince me?" Elena mocked.

"Love!" Bonnie heard a voice she'd recognize anywhere.

"Enzo! What are you doing here!" Bonnie ran towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I decided to come back a day early. Spend some time with my girl," he said seductively, "Is that okay with you Elena?"

"Great to see you too Enzo! Yes, whisk her away – just not too far. We're going dress shopping tomorrow, so try keeping her within Mystic Falls or the surrounding towns…" Elena joked as she walked into their house.

Everything else in the surrounding neighborhoods were booked. Turns out Caroline invited her family, her friends and probably anyone she ran into throughout her life.

Elena took the time to unpack, settle in and took out a couple of her books out so that she could study.

"We should take Caroline out for her Bachelorette party," Elena thought as she drove them to the mall.

"Last time we planned a Bachelorette party it was Jo's and we saw how that wedding turned out…," Bonnie pointed out.

"And we threw her an amazing Bachelorette party! The wedding, that was on Kai…," Elena waited for Bonnie to say something, "Oh come on! She's our best friend! Plus, I missed her last wedding!"

"Fine, but if its not perfect she'll kill us…," Bonnie warned.

"Well after we find the 'perfect' dresses we'll go out and buy anything and everything penis related!" Elena laughed.

Elena parked the car and they headed towards the mall entrance. Caroline told them she was running late, so they made their way to one of the cafes.

"So unlike Caroline to be running late," Bone mentioned.

"It's the wedding," Elena thought.

"…Or anything wedding related is getting pushed to the side," Bonnie said as she raised an eyebrow.

"What is getting pushed to the side?" Carline asked.

"Caroline! You're here!" Elena said jumping up.

"I am…now let's go get your perfect dresses!" Caroline brought her hands together and began walking towards Neiman Marcus.

"We were thinking something not so extravagant. Maybe Anthropologie?" Elena suggested.

"Yes – they do have their own wedding line, classy yet subtle!" Bonnie agreed.

"Uhh when it's you're wedding we can get our dresses from there; but this is my wedding," Caroline snapped.

"We'll try Neiman's for you, but if we can't find anything comfortable or anything we like we're going to try our stores!" Elena said back.

Caroline rolled her eyes, but they kept walking in silence. All humans could hear were Caroline's heels click on the ground beneath them. All Caroline could hear was - _Take a chance on me Caroline..._

Elena ended up getting a dress at Neiman's, but Bonnie couldn't find anything that suit her style. As they made their way through the mall Bonnie noticed Caroline's serious face.

"Hey, cheer up, you're getting married tomorrow," Bonnie said as she placed her arm on Caroline's shoulder.

"I know…," Caroline said.

"We're throwing you a Bachelorette Party tonight – just us!" Elena said with a smile on her face as she swung her hips to collide with Caroline's; it was meant to be a surprise, but _She needs something to be happy about_ Elena thought.

"Guys I have so much to do; it's best if we don't; plus, I'm technically already married," Caroline said.

"Too bad we're going to ignore all your dumb protests and go ahead with our plans," Bonnie said rubbing her hands together, "Muahaha!" she joked.

"Stefan!" Caroline yelled out his name as she entered the boarding house. After she had helped Bonnie and Elena with their dresses they continued to shop around. Caroline found a few things for her baby girls, but she needed some help with the rest of the things in the car. Sure, being a vampire meant she could carry more things than usual, but she still only had two arms.

"Hey you," he said with a smile on his face, "Need some help with that?"

"Yes please," she said smiling back. He did love him, maybe it was just the craziness of planning another wedding, "Stef? I love you," she said as she placed a light kiss on his cheek and she headed back inside.

 _I want to talk about you. Your hopes. Your dreams, everything you want in life._

So why is she still thinking about _him_? Maybe this Bachelorette Party was exactly what she needed to get her mind off _him_.

"Hey Stef," Caroline whispered turned in bed to face him, "you awake?".

"Hmm," he mumbled.

"We're getting married today," Caroline pointed out.

"I know. But, hey, wanna know the best part?" Stefan asked as he stretched.

"That everyone will be here this time around?" Caroline guessed.

"Sure, but I get to spend whatever forever I have left, with you," he said as propped himself up on his elbow. Caroline smiled and chuckled nervously.

"Well I guess we should get moving if we want to make it to our ceremony on time," Caroline said getting up and running to the bathroom.

"Ready to go, my love?" Stefan asked Caroline. She nodded as she climbed into his car. They were going to drive down to the hotel together and once there, they would split into their own rooms – after all, it is bad luck for the groom to see his wife.

They drove in silence but neither of them minded. That's what she liked about their relationship, Stefan grounded her, but _he_ made her feel alive.

They were there before she knew it. Bonnie, Elena, Enzo, Alaric, Lizzie and Josie were already there waiting for them.

"Here, we'll help you with all your things and you men can go to your suite!" Bonnie said grabbing one box while Elena handed a small bag to Josie while Lizzie was handed Caroline's bouquet.

"Follow us Mommy!" said Josie as she grabbed her Caroline's hand, "Sorry!" she quickly said. Josie had accidently siphoned some power from her mother.

"Its okay, sweetie; we're all excited today!" Caroline said smiling, "Your hair looks amazing, Josie! You both look even more beautiful this time around!" Caroline said as they all got into the elevator to head up to the girls' suite.

"Where are those damned shoes?! What am I supposed to wear now?! These flip flops?! I'm sure I packed them! I would never forget them! Stefan…" Caroline gritted through her teeth.

"Woah woah woah…Caroline breathe," Elena ran to her friend, "What's the matter?"

"I can't find these stupid shoes! And its all his fault! He wanted this stupid wedding," Caroline couldn't stop herself this time.

"Caroline, do you want to get married?" Bonnie whispered.

"I do…I love him. I just…" Caroline looked down to her hands.

"Its not enough," Elena whispered.

"I want to be someone's first choice. No offense Elena, I love you, but I'm tired of always getting your damaged goods. I want to be with someone that loves me, that worships me. Someone that will offer me everything I deserve. Someone that will do anything for me. I tried," Caroline cried, "I tried to get him to love me like he did you, but it was never as intense, for sure not as epic as your love; and I'm not jealous, really, "she chuckled, "I just need to be with the person that has offered all of this."

"Caroline, wait, you can't just leave," Bonnie said as she saw her grabbing her purse.

"I've spent long enough trying…please guys…," Caroline begs. She needs to friends' support, because she's terrified. She couldn't accept all those years ago that she loves _him_ but its not fair to Stefan, Lizzie and Josie, to herself.

"You have to tell him Caroline," Elena begged.

"I'll write or call but I have to go," she said as she hiked up her wedding dress and dashed out the door. She was going to write, she'd send him the a letter and her wedding bands when she arrived where she was going.

"…Do you think she plans on running all the way to New Orleans?" Bonnie jokingly asked.

She wasn't sure how she even got to the French Quarter but there she was – in her wedding dress, holding her breath.

 _What am I doing here? I should have a plan. What am I going to say? Probably should have tried to fix my hair_

"Come in – not that you need an invitation, love," she hears his voice say from his study.

She doesn't move, she can't move and then she hears it and he's in front of her before she knows it.

"So, what brings you to my city?"

 _Perhaps one day. In a year. Or even in a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer._

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Well that's it - hope you enjoyed!

Please let me know what you think - it's my first Vampire Diaries fanfic. Surprised me that my first one wasn't a Stefan/Elena fanfic, but this one kind of wrote itself.

Thanks again!


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